Nebulizer



W. H. ROSE NEBULIZER March 17, 1942.

Filed Aug. 22. 1940 flf. VFPIIII. {btll l all!!! IIIA Patented Mar. 17, 1942 FFICE 2,276,878 NEBULIZER William H. Rose,Jersey City, N.v J., assigner to Stanco Incorporated, a corporation of Delaware Application August 22,1940, Serial No. 353,600

4 claims.

The present invention relates to a means for dispensing liquids. More specifically, it relates to a device for producing a mist or nely divided spray of an atc-mized or nebulized liquid. In

particular, this invention relates to a device 'for applying medicinal liquids to the membranous tissue of the human nose or throat, and to an improvement in the devices disclosed according to my pending application for United States Letters Patent, Serial No. 305,949, led November l.

The general objects of this invention are identical with those of the invention disclosed in the aforementioned application Serial No. 305,949, but specically it is a present object to provide a device of improved construction and operating characteristics.

The invention, these objects and others, .are fully disclosed and will be readily apparent from the following specication when vit is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section lizer device;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line II-II of Fig. 1,'

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the nebulizer bulb from the inner end; and

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are partial showings in vertical section of alternate tube and bulb relationships; and

Fig. 7 is a vertical section form of construction.

In the drawing, the numeral I designates a through the nebuthrough a modified container element which may be of any suitable material such as glass, moulded cellulose or plastic material, or of metal and the like. -For disposal in the container I, or for use in conjunction with .any similar liquid reservoir, there is a nebulizer tube 2, which, like the container, may be of glass or another material such as has been indicated. In the tube 2, is disposed a packing material or core 3 which may be of any absorbent or porous material having the general characteristics of felt or another compacted fibrous material, in the service intended. Although felt and similar materials are preferred, chalk, pumice, paper and the like have been used With some success. It is intended, however, that the material used shall be of such nature and form that there shall be a slight clearance between the core and the inner wall of the element 2. In other words, the total cross sectional area of the core 3 shall be something less than `that of the tube, but without any readily apparent 55 some instances by using a `core looseness of the core inthe tube. The desired result may be obtained by using a square core in a cylindrical tube, the core having a diagonal width approximately equal to the inner diameter of the tube. The result may also be obtained in slightly `smaller than the tube, of a material w ch, when Wet with the nebulizing liquid, will swell or expand slightly to provide the necessary spaced relation.

The tube 2 itself, as shown, isopenat one vend and is intended to engage a pressure bulb member 4 provided with a tube insert portion over which the tube `2 is applied to engage the portion 5 in substantially :duid-.tight relation. The manner in which this may be accomplished is optional, as indicated by the Figs. 1, 4, y5 and 6. In Fig. 1, the tube 2 is formedwith an interiorly formed grooved portion 2a which engages `an annular ridge or welt 5a on the bulb insert portion 5. In Fig. 4, the union is maintained by means of a flanged ring 5b surrounding the portion 5 and engaging a beadv 2b on the tube 2. In Fig. 5 the tube 2 is provided with an inwardly turned iiange 2c which is held in a grooved portion .5c in the portion 5. While in Fig. 6,. a straight Walled tube 2 is held to a straight walled insert portion .5 by means of an adhesive such as rubber cement, not shown. It is obvious, of course, that kvan adhesive mayalso be employed The inner end of the tube 2 is closedor substantially so, being provided with a restricted spray passageway I for the discharge of atomized liquid. This passageway may be-formed in the tube, or may be punched after the tube is for-med,

depending upon the material from which the tube is made. Also, it is possible to use a tube formed with both ends open, the one end being the application of a cap member provided with the passageway 1.

It has been found that in order to obtain optimum results, a certain definite relationship should exist among the principal elementsof the device. For such results, it isessential-that-'the core member 3 shall be snugly and rmly seated against the closed end of the tube 2, obstructing the passageway 1; that the core member shall be of such size and shape that pressure air from the bulb 4 may pass substantially around the core, between it and the tube wall; and that pressure 2 air from the bulb may be discharged into the tube with a minimum restriction at the entrance.

The relationships desired are obtained in the device described by providing a core member 3 of such length that it will be slightly compressed against the closed end of the tube, but without substantial distortion, upon insertion of the member 5 to engage its upper or outer end. In other words, the combined length of the core 3 and insert portion 5 shall be slightly greater than the length of the tube. The discharge of pressure air into the tube with a minimum amount utilized as shown by Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive. A

modication is accomplished, however, by the use between the core and the tube walls, is expelled of restriction, is facilitated by the provision of slotted portions 3 in the annular member 5. As the member 5 is of substantially the same diameter as the tube, the slots in these portions extend beyond the side wall of the core member to a slight extent, permitting easier access for air into the space provided between tube and core. By providing three slotted portions, when using a square core, the possibility of covering all slots in the member 5 at one time, is substantially avoided.

In the assembly as illustrated, the container I is substantially filled with a packing made up of a disc la and a series of annular members Ib. The disc may be made of any resilient and compressible, nonflbrous absorbent material such as a cellulose sponge material, while the annular members may be made of either fibrous, or nonbrous absorbent materials such as felt, cellulose sponge, or the like. If desired, a single annular member of equivalent length, may be substituted for the members la. In relation to the tube 2, the pad la should be of such thickness that with the tube fully inserted in the container, the pad will be slightly compressed by the tube. By this means, liquid absorbed in the pad and annular members will be slightly expressed and be absorbed by the core 3 through the passageway 1. By capillary action, also, the liquid held in the members Ib and pad la will be transferred to the core member 3 through the passageway 1,

In operation, the filler or packing elements la and Ib are charged with a nebulizing liquid. Preferably the core member 3 should also be charged by compressing bulb 4, inserting the discharge end of the tube into a body of nebulizing liquid and then releasing the bulb. The nebulizer unit may then be inserted in the container and is ready for use. It is used by withdrawing the unit from its container and squeezing the bulb to discharge an atomized spray of liquid for whatever purpose desired. By inserting the discharge end of the neublizer into a bodywcavity, a persistent fog-like spray of liquid is applied to the tissues, as to the membranous covering within the nose or the throat. In such use the maximum effect is obtained by reason of the uniform coating which it is possible to apply without introduction of excess liquid to be swallowed or inhaled. The device may also be used, Without variation, as a perfume atomizer, and for such purposes as the application of antiseptics, anaesthetic solutions and the like, to wounds or surgical incisions.

In the form of construction illustrated in Fig. 7, the same general arrangement of elements is almost entirely through the tip end of the core at the passageway 1. As a result, it tends to produce a localized drying of the ,core end each time the bulb is compressed and this effect for any one absorbent material is` substantially constant. Between full compression and full release of the bulb, the-tip end of the core is replenished with liquid, by capillary action from the main body of the core.

By proper selection of the material used as a core material, Vvarious degrees of saturation may be obtained in the spray. The less dense materials, such as loose felt, provide for a high liquid content in the spray, While materials such as chalk, reduce the liquid content.

Although the invention has been disclosed with reference to specific embodiments thereof, it is not intended that any limitation shall be implied thereb-y, the novelty and scope of the invention being fully set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A nebulizer device, comprising a tubular body member, a spray nozzle at one end of said member, a pressure element at the other end of said member, an annular body insert member of a compressible material integral with said pressure element, engaging said-body in fluid-tight relation, said insert member providing communication between pressure element and tube, a tube core of an absorbent material at one end abutting against the end of said insert, disposed substantially in spaced relation to the Walls of said body member, and at the other end substantially covering the opening in said nozzle, the insert and core having a combined length slightly greater than that of the body member, and means for' distributing pressure air from the pressure element into the space between the -core and the body member.

2. A nebulizer -device according to claim l in which said means for distributing Ipressure air into the space between the core and the body member is a plurality of slotted portions disposed in spaced relation circumferentially of the insert member and abutting the tube core.

3. A nebulizer device according to claim 1 in which said means for distributing pressure air into the space between the core and the body member is a cut-out portion in the outer end of said core abutting against the insert member.

4. A nebulizer device according to claim 1in which the tube core is a rectangular block of an absorbent compressible material of square cross section, only the corner edge portions of which engage the side -walls of said tube.

WILLIAM H. ROSE. 

